TOURIST SCAM WARNING!!"

[Chad]

please discuss here..

[Tornado]

OHH Great idea !!here u go mr. FLW
post all the warning here PLEASE !!

[napoleon]

Good Idea for stupid and covetous tourists that whos are innocent for travelling.

I never had any problems when I travelled alone to many big cities around the world.


Please searching all information and becareful by yourself.

[Dek Thai]

Good Chad.

[George W. Bush]

Everytime I sense somebody wanting to take advantage of me I give him a huge and big smile.
Because smiling all the way to every and anybody usually is the right thing to do in Thailand.

[Imperfect Ending]

Don't listen to taxi car advice cause they're probably just working together with the destination of their choice.

[FLW]

VITAL INFO FOR TOURISTS PLANNING A TRIP TO THAILAND:


The Tourist Authority of Thailand refuses to warn travelers about widespread scams against tourists. Why? Is someone at the TAT benefitting from the Tourist Mafia
Photos of Thai Tourist Mafia here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/sets/


The Kingdom of Thailand draws more visitors than any other country in southeast Asia with its irresistible combination of breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring temples, renowned hospitality.

Unfortunately, many unscrupulous people have been taking advantage of Thailand's friendly reputation.
Friendly scammers are positioned by the Tourist Mafia all over town.
These scammers have morphed into a powerful organized Tourist Mafia that is untouchable.
Dozens of scammers working over tourists at Thailand most famous sites has been going on too long.
EXAMPLE PICTURES: ERAWAN SHRINE TOURIST MAFIA:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

There is a vast conspiracy to defraud every tourist that enters the Country.
It starts at the Airport at the baggage pickup. (AOT LIMO SCAM - They plastered signs all over the baggage claims, stating that all taxis other than AOT limos are illegal)!! They charge 900thb when in fact, the taxi price to downtown is about 270thb, including tolls. The AOT has 'agents' in uniform, misleading/lying to arrivals in the secure area!
In the arrival hall, hundreds of Tourist Mafia Touts have free reign. They harass arrivals! Thing is about touts at the new airport, most unsuspecting tourists wouldn’t even think they were touts as they operate in such a position that they seem official - right outside arrivals, in uniforms!. Fake ID tags
Fake Customs officers, transport officials (in uniform) scamming travelers as they exit.

If you visit the Grand Palace, it is very likely, that near the entrance you will be approached by someone wearing a uniform and looking very official who will tell you that The Palace is closed for a couple of hours except to local people. He will then offer to arrange a tuc-tuc to take you to some other places of interest in the area,whilst you wait for the palace to re-open.!

Did you know that the taxies 'parked' by the hotels are almost all scammers?
Yes. They pay the Police to park there. Good money in scamming new arrivals. Honest drivers are not allowed to park adjacent to the hotels.
Every expat knows to never take a 'parked' taxi. In fact, most won't give expats rides. They are only driving taxies to scam novice tourists.
What about the Tuk Tuks on my Soi?
All they do is lie to tourists. Do you actually think they are there to give tourists rides to the Temples etc?
Every one of them in the Tourist Zone is a scammer these days.

How about the Fake Students and their Fake Survey.
They even have the nerve to wear the TATs AMAZING THAILAND logo! How many tourists do they harass every day?...and why are they allowed to continue?..year after year? Somethings wrong.

Let's discuss the FAKE MONKS/NUNS working over tourists all over town.
How can they be tolerated?

I won't mention the FAKE BEGGAR team diverting all the donations to the poor.
They have turned a stroll down Sukhumvit/Silom into a Museum of Horrors; The (imported Cambodian)beggars are working for a street gang, diverting donation for the poor into the pockets of street mafia.
The proceeds go to the punks that own the sidewalks.

How about the recent escalation of the 'LITTERING POLICE' harassing tourists all day long. That is a huge problem, I'm sure the Thais are not aware of this.
I estimate each officer takes in about $200usd per hour..and there are dozens of them. Representatives from Embassies have been asking for this to stop.

Did you know the Thong Lor Police have been doing random searches of foreigners?
Yes, they are pulling them out of taxies and searching/intimidating them. Especially near Soi22.

What happens when a tourist walks into Hualumphong Station looking to buy a train ticket? Scammers approaching every tourist that enter the Station, displaying what is a bogus ID card saying they are with the TAT. YES, inside the Station, in front of security/management.

Look at the Sala Daeng MRT/BTS Dusit Thani Hotel area. The Tourist Mafia has representatives there too, all day, every day.
Yes full time scammers positioned on the MRT and BTS platforms too. I see them talking with the guards all the time.

Look at the BTS platform/Skywalk near MBK, Central World Trade, Erawan, Gaysorn Plaza. Yes they are there too.
I notice they chat with the Security Guards when not approaching a map toting tourist.

The Tourist Mafia has agents at the intersection of Sukhumvit Soi 18 & 20 & 22 & 24 trolling for tourists that stay at the hotels there.

I have had them approach me near the Biyoke, Indra Hotel also.

Visit the Central World Shrine and witness them at work there.

Walk down Silom and you will meet the Tourist Mafia at all the major intersections and near the hotels.
They usually are very well dressed and have some scamming Tuk Tuk driver close by to take you to the next stage of the con game.

Should I get into the Baht Bus Scams on the Islands?
Getting charged 10x more than an air-con taxi would in Bangkok! How many tourists are going home, disgusted with the way they are treated by the Islands overcharging drivers?
Why not have real taxies?
What forces are preventing this?

What about double pricing? Even at places like Ocean World where they sneakily put the local price in Thai Script only! I'm guessing the reason they put the Thai price in Thai scipt is so that no tourists would ever spot the different price.

Thousands of victims of the Thai Tourist Mafia are fighting back and some are starting to create websites to help protect future visitors to Thailand.(and Thailand's Tourism Industry)
Here are some of these websites:

SINGAPOREANS AGAINST THE THAI GEM SCAM:
http://thaigemscam.wordpress.com/
WIKIPEDIA;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_gem_scam
GEM SCAM GROUP:
http://www.geocities.com/thaigemscamgroup/
INTO ASIA :
http://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/gemscam/
2BANGKOK:
http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Scams/Sapphire.shtml
BANGKOK SCAMS COM:
http://www.bangkokscams.com/

[FLW]

Pictures of the ERAWAN SHRINE TOURIST MAFIA:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

[annamaria4711]

I think this is a good idea. It's not just about scams its about protecting Thai tourism...I know when people have asked me about Vietnam...one of the first things I tell them is about the amount of scam they are likely to confront, needless to say many of them side step Vietnam, that does not help the local economy, likewise with Cambodia, we were advised to go to Angkar Wat, go see it and leave Cambodia....again that does not help the local economy.

I find it wrong when I see two prices...in Italy once I was so annoyed with the vendor trying to double price a really nice family that simply wanted to engage and enjoy Italy that I felt that this chap was desecrating the spirit of Italy, that i stepped in and made sure they were charged local prices...when that has happened to us in Egypt..it gave me faith in that country..I told friends yes they were scandels but there were good people too who would step forward, hence friends felt good about visiting Egypt.

I really don't agree to a two tier price...I was so annoyed when I wanted to go and see the shadow puppet theatre in the night bazarr, I was asked to pay about 500bht...which was more than I was paying for my room at that time and a very rich Thai family who were dropped off in some Merc paid a franction..that would not happen in many Western places where prices are clearly displayed for all to understand.

The biggest scammers I ever encountered were the authorities in Ho Chi Min airport..biggest load of scammsters..needless to say i advise all my friends NOT to go to Vietnam..biggest bunch of thieves I've ever encountered

[FLW]

Yesterday, I had lunch at The Roadhouse, Rama 4 and Suriwong intersection.
The Tourist Mafia has representatives stationed there, by the Jim Thompson Store. For the last year, I have seen the same scammers posted there every time I go past.... right by the Police Box. I have photos.
We watched them hit on a dozen or more tourists during lunch.

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by FLW

Yesterday, I had lunch at The Roadhouse, Rama 4 and Suriwong intersection.
The Tourist Mafia has representatives stationed there, by the Jim Thompson Store. For the last year, I have seen the same scammers posted there every time I go past.... right by the Police Box. I have photos.
We watched them hit on a dozen or more tourists during lunch.

Yes , you saw it ! wow what else did you do after seeing that ? Wow I don't mind seeing the photos taken by you. i am being sarcastic.
If you really sure and you are so much in love to protect our tourism industry please report that to the authority that would be a lot more useful. Don't u think so

[FLW]

Originally Posted by Tornado

Yes , you saw it ! wow what else did you do after seeing that ? Wow I don't mind seeing the photos taken by you. i am being sarcastic.
If you really sure and you are so much in love to protect our tourism industry please report that to the authority that would be a lot more useful. Don't u think so

In JUNE 2007, I did report it to the T.A.T..
The T.A.T. EMAIL- webmaster@mots.go.th

I also contacted the T.A.C. (Tourist Assistance Center).
T.A.C. EMAIL- thai-tac@hotmail.com

They don't return emails.

I also contacted the Tourist Police, they told me to go to the regular Police Station!
Many speculate the scammers are off-duty Tourist Police. I believe it.

Pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

Do you know of an agency or authority that may be interested in confronting this threat to Thailand's Tourism Industry?

[satit28]

scams are uncomfortable....
i've been in three....

[FLW]

More photos of the ERAWAN SHRINE TOURIST MAFIA.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

This group has Tourist Mafia posted at all of Bangkok's Tourist sites.
These people are fast ruining Thailand's reputation as a friendly tourism site.

[George W. Bush]

Better you stop now or you'll end on the Erawan Shrine Tourist Mafia's death list.

[thainotts]

Originally Posted by George W. Bush

Better you stop now or you'll end on the Erawan Shrine Tourist Mafia's death list.

Its not the "Tourist Mafia". Its the "TOURIST MAFIA", Mr President.

BTW, I like your tagline.

[George W. Bush]

^ I'll consider putting the TOURIST MAFIA issue on top of my agenda when in Bangkok next week.

[annamaria4711]

I agree
You should report it not just photo it.
Once when we were going to the airport in BKK our taxi driver would not put his meter on.
So we got out, the taxi behind him asked us what was going on, we told him, he took the guys number plates etc and asked us to report to Tourist police at airport....
Its about protecting the tourist industry, by giving faith back to the tourists.

Do something
Don't just photograph it
Report it....

You'll be saving jobs for Thailand ...and the world is competitive enough as it is we don't need Thai thieves to be scamming Thailand...all of this is part of the corruption process every little bit will help to fight against it

[FLW]

Report it to who?
The Police?
These tourist scammers at the Erawan work in plain view of the Police Box on that corner.

I did send the photos and letters to the Tourist Police, TAT and TAC (tourist assistance center). ...in JUNE 2007.
Quite a few follow up letters sent.
The Bangkok Post did an article in January and published photos of 3 of the Erawan Mafia. Those same scammers are there still today.

Thousands of tourists being hit on every day, all over Bangkok, is making a bad impression on our guests.







Photos of the ERAWAN SHRINE TOURIST MAFIA.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

.

[George W. Bush]

The taxi meter thing is certainly annoying, but to me these are rather petty issues. When visiting developing countries I expect to be confronted with such nuisances to a certain level. As long as Bangkok remains the reasonably safe and peaceful city it always seemed to be so far, I'll be fine.